Indian Wells, California. , Brandon Nakashima took advantage of two double faults John Isner In an error-filled game to take the only service break of the match and reach the second round at the BNP Paribas Open with a 7-6(7), 6-3 victory at the All-American event on Wednesday.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was in the stands as play began in the first Masters 1000 event of the year, a combined tournament for women and men.
Nakashima, 21, from San Diego saved a set point for Isner, who is 37, on his way to grabbing the opening tiebreaker. And Nakashima, who won the ATP Next Gen Finals last year, broke in the second set to lead 4-2 after nearly 1 1/2 hours of play, taking his four points through two double faults in that game. For example, a forehand by Isner that found the net tape and didn’t finish it, and another that went long.
Overall, Isner, the 2012 runner-up at Indian Wells, double-faulted seven times, part of his total of 25 unforced errors – 18 more than Nakashima. The next challenge for Nakashima, ranked 48, is to face the 2022 US Open champion and former No. 1 Daniil MedvedevWhich is on a 14-match winning streak and has won the last three tournaments.
That streak of success includes a victory Novak Djokovik, the 22-time Grand Slam champion is not fielding in Indian Wells as he cannot travel to the United States as a foreign national who has not been vaccinated against COVID-19. player Djokovic shares the record for most major wins by a man, Rafael Nadal, not even in the desert; He was sidelined after injuring his left hip flexor at the Australian Open.
Like other seeded players, Medvedev also received a bye in the first round.
Wednesday night, Gael Monfils – Two-time Grand Slam semifinalist – was scheduled to compete for the first time since Aug. Jordan Thompson, Monfils, 36, has not played since suffering a foot injury last August.
In the first day’s action, Evgenia RodinaThe 34-year-old, ranked 427 and having played just one tour-level match in 2023, ousted 68th-ranked Alize Cornet 6-2, 7-5; 67th ranked Wang Xinyue defeated 37th ranked Alice Mertens 6-3, 6-1; wild-card entry dayana yastremska Defeated anna bonder 6-3, 6-4; alexandra sasnovich Has passed Kaya Kanepi 6-3, 7-6 (5); Anna Blinkova Beat Ann Lee 6-1, 6-2; And Linda Noskova Defeated Irina-Camelia Begu 7-6(7), 6-1.
In men’s matches, marcos gironwho won the NCAA singles title for UCLA, eliminated Alexander Kovacevic 6-3, 7-5; ugo humbert Beat Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-2, 7-6 (6); Jason Kubler Gush Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 7-6 (4); And Oscar Otte Defeated laslo jere 6-3, 7-5.